Machine for inserting fasteners and forming the heel seat of shoe soles



7 Feb. 14, 1939. v H GQRDQN AL 2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOLESFiled May 23, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l H. GORDON ET AL.

Feb. 14, 1939.

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FA STENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHQESOL-ES I 4 Sfieets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1936 Feb. 14, 1939. H. GORDONET AL 2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOL ESFiled May 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 was! Feb. 14, 1939. H GORDON ET AL2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOLESFiled May 25, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 YVU c/wbow/ Hiram qrdorz j 25675GPayye m gyqywmw Y Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oF icEMACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SOLES SEAT OF SHOEApplication May 23, 1936, Serial No. 81,478

13 Claims.

The invention relates to the art of manufacturing shoes, and has specialreference to an improved method and machine for inserting fasteners andforming the heel seat of a shoe sole.

The object of the invention is to apply and permanently secure ametallic heel fastening plate to the heel receiving area of a shoeoutsole and simultaneously therewith trimming the outsole by removingsurplus stock therefrom during the operation of securing the heelattaching plate to the outsole.

Hitherto, it has been customary in the operation of attaching heels toshoes with the aid of metallic fastening plates to subject a heellesslasted shoe to the action of a cutter to trim the marginal portion of aheel seat in order that the cupped or concaved attaching face of a woodheel could be guided over the trimmed heel seat region of the outsolewith the outer marginal edges of the attaching surface of the heel inclose fitting contact with the shoe upper and without the edges of theoutsole, in the region of the heel, being exteriorly visible. Such aheel seat trimming machine has been disclosed in our prior Patent No.2,032,411 granted March 3, 1936.

Such heel seat trimming operations are common in the manufacture ofshoes, whether the heels are attached to the shoes by the ordinarymethods of nailing or When pronged metallic plates of the type disclosedin the patent of Dopp 2,017,234 granted October 15, 1935, are employed.

The ordinary heel seat trimming operation, that is, the removal ofsurplus stock from the heel region of a shoe outsole in order to adaptthe latter for the reception of a heel body having a cupped face,requires considerable time whether it is done by machine, as is nowmostly the case, or by hand, and it is, therefore, a cardinal object ofthe present invention to provide a method and machine by which ametallic heel fastening plate of the pronged type is secured to anoutsole in such a manner that it forms a finished heel seat and at thesame time, during the attaching operation, removes or trims the surplusstock from the outsole so that both operations may be carried out atsubstantially the same cost as either one considered separately.

It is another object of the invention to provide in combination with aheel plate attaching machine means for producing transversely extendingcuts or slits in the outsole of a shoe, so that the slits will extendinwardly from the opposite edges of the outsole in registration with thebreast line of the heel body which is to be applied to the outsole,whereby when a metallic fastening plate having peripheral cutting edgesis forced downwardly upon the outsole, during manufacture and in theoperation of attaching the fastening plate, the said peripheral cuttingedges will penetrate the stock of the outsole to effect the re- 5 movalfrom the outsole of all surplus material from the heel region whichwould otherwise project beyond the marginal edges of the fasteningplate.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method andmeans for securing accurate control in the matter of producing thebreast line cuts in the outsole so that the same will exactly registerwith the breast lines of the heels applied to the shoes.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of shoepositioning means adapted to secure facility and precision in the matterof determining the positions of application of the metallic heelattaching plates, so that the latter will be exactly located as requiredwhen positioned on the outsole and operatively fastened to the shoe.With the above and other objects and features in view, the inventionwill now be described in connection with the accom- 25 panying drawingsand pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved heel attaching machinecomprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the lineIII-II[ of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the place disclosed by the lineIV--IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, the plane of which is indicated bythe line V--V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by theline VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through the pressurecylinder and accompanying operating means for operating the breast linecutters;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane indicated bythe line VIII-VIII of Fig.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the controlvalves used on the machine;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the supporting table and presserhead with a heelless shoe in position prior to the attaching operation.

Fig. 11 is a similar view following the attaching operation;

Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the operation of driving a locking pininto a heel to secure the latter to the shoe.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a supporting frame or bed,indicated at I, provided with vertical legs or end frames 2, effects thesupport of the heel plate attaching mechanism. Stationarily arising fromthe frame I is a standard 3 having its lower portion formed with ahorizontal shelf 4 upon which is stationarily supported an anvil block5. The standard 3 at its upper end, and in vertical registration withthe block 5, has secured thereto a depending. cylinder 6 containing apneumatically operated piston held in an elevated position by a coilspring. Secured to this piston and projecting slidably through the lowerend thereof is a piston rod 1, which carries at its lower end a pressinghead 8.

The pressing head is provided at its lower end with a substantiallyconcaved plate-receiving surface 9 having spaced vertical recesses H)which open to the surface 9. Adapted to be applied to thesurface 9 andto be held by the head 8, when the latter is in its elevated position,is a metallic heel fastening plate II. This plate comprises a unitarystampedmetallic body shaped to provide a heel seat and formed withmarginal cutting edges l2, integral attachingprongs l3 and spaceddepending heel attaching ears !4. The ears M are adapted to bepositioned in the recesses I8, and spring means coact with said earswhen positionedwithin said recessesto detachably support the plate I lin connection with the surface 9 of the pressinghead. When thus attachedto the head 8, the prongs l3 of the plate H and the peripheral cuttingedges l2. thereof extend in a downward direction so that the plate maybe forced, upon the descent ofthe rod 1 and the pressing head 8, intofastened and seated relationship on the heel-receiving area of the shoeoutsole.

In the use of the machine, unfinished heelless shoes, of the typeindicated at 15, are mounted ona last andincludethe usual outsoles l6and uppers IT. The first step involvedin applying a heelfastening plateH to such a shoe, is to produce in the outsole lfia pair of inwardlydirected transverse cuts or slits l8, which must be, in order to,secur,eproper fitting, disposed in registration with the breast line, l9;of aheel, as indicated at 20, which is to be applied to the shoe.

In order to form these cuts or slits, the stand ard 3supportsat itsupperend a. cutter cylinder 2| which, as shown in Fig,- 7, includes apiston 22, a vertically depending piston rod 23 and a coil spring 24,the latter surrounding the'rod23 and is, disposed between the:- lower.end of the cylinder and the under surface of the piston 22. The lowerend of the rod 23. projects through a stufiing box 25 provided in ,the.bottom of the cylinder 2|, and, the extreme lower end of the rod 23,beneath said cylinder, isequipped with a threaded ferrule ZSwhichoperates tomaintain in seated relationship the spherical head 27 of ascrew 28. The shank of the screw receives an internally threadedadjustable-collar 29 and a freely slidable block 36 is arranged on thelower end.of the screw below and usually in spaced relation from thecollar 29. Below the block 30, the screw 28 is equipped with lock. nuts3!. Pivotally connected as at 32with the block 30 are the bifurcatedarms of a crank 33, the latter being fixed upon the outer end of acutter operating cam shaft 34. This shaft isjournaled for partialrotation within a horizontally disposed bearing 35 formed in acutter-supporting.bracket 36, the

latter being adjustably mounted for longitudinal movement on asupporting table 3'! carried by and vertically movable with respect tothe standard 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the back of the table 3'! includes arib 38 which is slidably mounted within a dovetail groove 39 formed inthe front wall of the standard 3. The lower end of the table 3'! restsupon spring means 40- which is disposed between the lower horizontallyextendingportion of the standard 3 and the lower part of the table 31,the normal tendency of the springmeans 49 being to maintain said tablein an elevated position. so that a shoe initially positioned thereinwill be spaced from the anvil block 5.

The inner end of the shaft 34 is equipped with a cam 4! which, as shownin Fig. 5, is disposed between a pair of cutter carriers 42, the latterbeing pivoted as at 43 in connection with the bracket 38. These pivotsare equipped with springs, the normal tendency of which is to maintainthe inner vertical edges of the carriers 42in contact with the cam 4!,as illustrated in Fig, 5. The bottom portions of the carriers areprovided. with angularly arranged cutters or knives 45 which are used,upon the actuation of the cam, to produce the transverse breast cuts orslits E8 in the shoe outsole. The carriers 42 and the cam H arerelatively connected by means of pivotedv links 45a which operate toefiect their rapid and positive movement in unison.

Mountedon the lower part of the frame I is a bracket 46 which supports apivoted foot pedal 41. The inner end of this pedal is connected with thelower end of a chain 48, which has its upper end connected with anadjustable hook 45 carried by a block 53. Also connected with this blockas at 5! is the lower end of a vertical rod 52which has its upper endsecured to the-table 31. Theoperator of the machine, by depressing thepedal 41, may thereby pull the table downwardly against the resistanceof the spring means 49, so that a lasted shoe, supported in connectionwith the table, will be drawn downwardly into engagement with the anvilblock 5.

To support a lasted shoe in connection with the table 31, the bracket 35thereon has its under surface equipped with a pair of pivotedtransversely spaced guards 53. These guards comprise metallicplatespivotally mounted in connection with the bracket 38 as at 54, and havetheir for ward ends formed with curved jaws 55, which are adapted toengage with the counter or upper I! of theshoe when the latter is placedin an operative position within the machine for the reception of a heelattaching plate, as indicated at l I. These guards include curved edgeportions 56 which slidably contact with the outer edges of the outsole[6 to support these edges of the outsole-in spaced relation from theuppers H, and to protect the uppers from the action of the breast linecutters for the outsole. Further, the guards are formed with arcuateslots 51 for the reception of studs 58 projecting stationarily from thebracket 36, and wire springs 59 cooperate with said guards for thepurpose of rocking said guards about their pivots in a horizontal planetoward a shoe positioned between the same.

In order to control the position of a shoe within the machine so thatthe cutters 45 will produce the transverse slits in the outsole inregistration with the breast line of the heel to be attached to theshoe, and to properly locate the heel area of the shoe outsole withrespect to the fastening plate carried-by the head 8, the table 31 isprovided at one side with a horizontally extending flange 6D. Theupper'surface of this flange has stationarily connected therewith, asindicated in Fig. 6, a gage block 6|, which is provided with a pair ofupstanding lugs 62 which are adapted to be received withinlongitudinally spaced slots 63 formed in the attaching surface of agaging heel or templet 20, the latter corresponding in dimensions to theheel which is to be attached to the shoef A gage plate 65 is keyed as at66 for controlled longitudinal sliding movement at the rear of the table31. A clamping screw 61 may be operated to retain the plate 65 in itsadjusted positions. Carried by the upper surface of the plate 65 is I abar 68 having a recess 69 formed in its forward end which is adapted tobe brought into engagement with the back edge of the gaging heel ortempletZO' seated on the block 6|. When this engagement has beeneffected, as shown in Fig. 6, the screw 6'! is tightened. Also carriedby the plate 65, as shown in Fig. 4, is a heel rest plate 10, and theforward edge of the plate 10 is formed with a stationary lip H which isadapted to engage with the rand crease of a shoe when the heel of thelatter is held in contact with the forward edge of the plate I0 and whengripped by the jaws 55.

A second gage plate 65a. provided with a recess 64 to receive the block6| of the table 31 in front of the plate 65 and this plate is providedwith a breast engaging bar 12 which, as shown in Fig. 6, is adapted tobe brought into engagement with the breast line of the attaching surfaceof the heel 20. To efiect this engagement of the bar 12, the gage plate65a is formed at its forward edge in a down-turned lug 13 which has aswiveled engagement with an adjusting screw 14, the threaded shank ofthe latter being received within a threaded opening provided in theforward portion of the flange 60 of the table 31. When this engagementhas been effected, the bracket 36 is retained in its adjusted positionsby means of a pair of vertically disposed clamping bolts 15.

Having thus generally described the operating parts of our improved heelplate fastening machine, the operation thereof may be summarized asfollows:

A lasted unheeled shoe having an untrimmed heel seat is inserted in aninverted position within the machine so that the heel portion of theshoe will occupy the registering slots or openings formed in the table31, the cutter carrying bracket 35 and the gage plate 65a, with the toeof the shoe pointing outwardly. Insertive movement of the shoe islimited by the contacting of the back of the upper with the forward edgeof the plate H1 and by the engagement of the forward end of the lip llwith the rand crease at the back of the heel seat. It will be understoodthat the operating positions of the plate 10 and the lip H are firstdetermined by the placing of the gaging heel or templet 20' on the block6! and the adjustment of the plate 65 so that the bar 68 thereoncontacts with the back edge of the heel or templet 20 seated on theblock El. At the time the shoe I5 is thus inserted in the machine, theedge portions 56 of the jaws 55 will be located beneath the edges of theoutsole 16 in alignment with the cutters 45. The operating positions ofthe cutters with respect to the outsole are then accurately controlledby the adjustment of the screw 14 which slides the bracket 36 bodilywith respect to the table until the bar 12 contacts with the forward orbreast edge of the heel or templet 20'. Through this means, the machineis readily adapted to receive and operate upon shoes to which any givenpredetermined style of heel is to be connected.

Following the insertion of the unheeled shoe into the machine, theoperator depressesthe foot pedal 41, which results in lowering the table31 and the mechanism supported thereby on the standard 3, and againstthe resistance of the spring means 40, this lowering movement takingplace until the last 16, on which the shoe [5 is mounted, engages withthe seat 11 provided in the upper end of a detachable plate 18 carriedby the top of the anvil block 5. When this engagement has been efiected,the operator by a sidewise motion of the knee, engages a pad 19 providedon the lower end of a crank arm 80, which is connected with a rock shaft8i journaled in connection with the frames 2. The back end of the shaft8| is provided with a crank 82 with which is connected a variable lengthlink mechanism 83 leading, as shown in Fig. 2, to a control valve 84,the latterbeing employed for governing the flow of compressed air from asuitablesource of supply through a tube 85 which leads to the top of thecylinder 2|. The introduction of compressed air into the cylinder 2|results in the downward movement of the piston 22 therein and theactuation of the cam shaft 34, causing the cutters to rock about theirpivots and produce the breast line slits or cuts IS in the outsole,after which pressure on the pad 19 is released so that the control valve84 will be closed against further inflow of compressed air and opened toprovide a vent to the atmosphere so that the piston 22 may return to itsnormal position on the action of the spring 24 and, also, to permit thecutters 45 to return to their opened or normal positions.

After the breast cuts have been produced, and the heel attaching plate Ii inserted into the head 8, which may be done prior to the insertion ofa shoe into the machine, a hand operated control a valve 86 is actuatedwhile foot pressure isrstill exercised on the pedal 41 to retain theshoe on the anvil block 5. The control valve 86 is connected by means ofa pipe line 8! with the source of compressed air supply and is alsoconnected by means of a pipe 88 with the cylinder 6. The introduction ofcompressed air into the cylinder 6 causes the descent of the pistontherein and likewise the pressing head 8. The descent of the latter withthe plate I I positioned therein causes the prongs l3 of said plate topass through both the outsole and insole of the shoe and by contact withthe metal heel base of the last 16 to be clinched inwardly so that theplate will be firmly and securely held in connection with the shoe,forming a finished heel seat. Simultaneously with the penetration of theprongs I3, the flanged cutting edges l2 of the heel plate penetratethrough the outsole and sever surplus material from the outsole in theform of a U-shaped blank, the forward edges of said blank having beenpreviously severed by the formation of the slots or cuts !8 therein asproduced by the cutters 45.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, a heel attachingplate is secured to the heel region of an outsole and at the same time,the trimming of the heel seat takes place so that when the fasteningplate is completely attached, it produces a finished heel seat. Afterthis operation, the control valve 86 is actuated to provide for theautomatic elevation of the pressing head 8 and foot pressure on thepedal 41 is released so metallic attaching plate H and with the outer tothe breast slits.

that'the table 31 may be elevated by the action of the spring means 40.The shoe is then withdrawn from the machine and the heel to be appliedthereto is positioned on the attached plate ll so that the ears M ofsaid plate enter the spaced longitudinal slots 64 in the attachingsurface of the heel.

Preferably, the ears I4 are perforated and the body of the heellongitudinally bored as at 89 from the breast surface of the heel sothat the bore or opening 89 will register with the apertures of the earsI 4. Through the medium of apneumatic hammer 90a, a locking pin 99 isdriven into the bore 89 and through the apertures in the ears l4, thuscompleting the uniting of the heel in a firmly secured manner to theshoe. The removal of the trimmed U-shaped blank from the outsole enablesthe concaved or cupped at tach ing 'surface of the heel to readily fitover the edges of the attaching surface of the heel in firm and directcontact with the shoe upper, producing the desired smooth finishedappearance. In the event the cutting edges l2 on the heel attachingplates I l are not of sufficient length to reach the breast slits orcuts l8, a supplemental cutter 9!, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may beattached to the holder or head 8 in order to complete the cutting of theoutsole from the forward edges of the plate The supplemental cutter maybe adjusted longitudinally with respect to the head8 by means of anadjusting screw 92 arranged at the back of the head 8.

From the foregoing description, it will be eviw' dent that the presentinvention provides an improved machine for securing heel attachingplates to the heel seat region of shoe outsoles and wherein theconstruction of the machine is such m invention a considerable saving,over previous 53* What is claimed is:

manufacturing methods, may be effected in the matter of time and costsin the operations of preparing the shoe for the reception of a heel andin -the securing of a heel to the prepared heel seat.

1'. A combined heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising aframe, shoe supporting means carried by said frame, an adjustable cuttersupport movable relative to said frame, a pair of cutters carried bysaid support, means for actuatin'gsaid cutters to cause the same toproduce inwardly extending slits in the outsole of a heellessshoepositioned on said supporting means, and a movable press headcarried by said frame, said 65" headbeing formed to detachably receive apronged metallic heel attaching plate having a peripheral cutting edge,the said plate when applied to the heel-receiving region of the shoeoutsole by the operation of said press head being so disposed that thecutting edges thereof penetrate said outsole to produce a substantiallyU-shaped cut therein, the latter being joined with the transverse slitsso that the surplus material of the outsole disposed beyond theperipheral edges of the plate is removed from the outsole.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, means includingpositioning and operating devices for securing a metallic heel fasteningplate to the heel-receiving region of the outsole of an unfinished shoe,a pair of cutters for producing transverse slits in the outsole of saidshoe in substantial registration with the breast-line of a heelsubsequently connected with said plate, and templet regulated meansspaced from said cutters for governing the operating positions thereof.

3. A machine for securing heel fastening plates to the heel seats ofshoe outsoles comprising a frame, a table carried by said frame,adjustable shoe positioning means mounted on said table, a cuttersupport adjustably mounted on said table, a pair of movable spacedcutters carried by said support, means for actuating said cutters tocause the latter to produce transversely extending slits in substantialregistration with the heel breast line of the outsole of a shoe held inengagement with said positioning means, and a press including a movablehead formed to detach-ably receive a pronged metallic heel fasteningplate, cutting means provided adjacent the periphery of a heel platecarried by said head, said press serving to force a plate carried by thehead thereof into secured engagement with the heel region of the shoeand simultaneously therewith to cut said outsole along the margins ofsaid plate whereby to shape the outsole to receive the cupped attachingface of a shoe heel.

4. A heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising, incombination, a pair of spaced outters for producing substantiallytransversely disposed slits extending inwardly from the edges of a shoeoutsole in substantial registration with the breast-line of a heel to beapplied to the outsole, and a press formed to detachably support a heelsecuring plate, said plate being formed with peripheral edges ofsuflicient depth to penetrate the shoe outsole when said plate is forcedby said press into secured engagement with the heel receiving area of ashoe, the cuts produced in the outsole by said plate being merged withsaid transverse cuts to produce a trimmed heel seat for said plate.

5. A heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising a frame,adjustable work positioning means for receiving the heel region of an inverted last carried unfinished shoe, with the outsole of said shoe in asubstantially horizontal plane, a pair of spaced movable cuttersadjustably carried in connection with said frame, means for actuatingsaid cutters to cause the latter to produce inwardly extendingtransverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe held inengagement with said positioning means, and a press carried by saidframe having a movable head formed to detachably receive a prongedmetallic heel fastening plate, said plate being provided with peripheralcutting edges, whereby when said press is actuated to force the prongsof said plate into clinching engagement with the heel receiving regionof said outsole, the cutting edges of said plate penetrate said outsoleand operate in conjunction with said first-named cutters to trim theoutsole of surplus material.

6. A heel plate attaching and heel-seat fitting machine comprising: aframe, positioning means for retaining the heel receiving region of anunfinished last mounted shoe in a predetermined position with respect tosaid frame, a pair of knives adjustably mounted in connection with saidframe, pneumatically actuated means for efiecting the operation of saidknives, whereby to cause the latter to produce inwardly extendingtransverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe in engagementwith said positioning means, said slits being disposed to registersubstantially with the breast-line of a heel to be attached to the shoe,and a pneumatically operated press including a movable head, said headbeing formed to detachably carry a pronged metallic heel attachingplate, said plate being provided with marginal cutting edges formed topenetrate said outsole when said press is operated to force said plateinto secured engagement with the heel-receiving region of said shoe.

7. A heel plate attaching and heel-seat fitting machine comprising: aframe, positioning means for retaining the heel receiving region of anunfinished last mounted shoe in a predetermined position with respect tosaid frame, a pair of knives adjustably mounted in connection with saidframe, pneumatically actuated means for effecting the operation of saidknives, whereby to cause the latter to produce inwardly extendingtransverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe in engagementwith said positioning means, said slits being disposed to registersubstantially with the breast-line of a heel to be attached to the shoe,a pneumatically operated press including a movable head formed todetachably carry a pronged metallic heel attaching plate, said platebeing provided with marginal cutting edges formed to penetrate saidoutsole when said press is operated to force said plate into securedengagement with the heel-receiving region of said shoe, and supplementalcutters carried by said head and disposed to unite the cuts produced inthe outsole by the knives with those produced by the cutting edges ofsaid plate.

8. In a heel plate attaching and fitting machine, a frame, a tablecarried by said frame, a cutter support mounted on said table, a pair ofcutters pivotally carried by said support, a press carried by said frameincluding a movable plate attaching head, a shoe positioning stopcarried by said table, a stationary receiver on said table for a heelengaging templet, means for adjusting said cutter support relative tothe breast-line of a templet mounted on said receiver, and means forretaining said shoe positioning stop and said cutter support in theiradjusted positions with respect to said templet.

9. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels comprisingpositioning an unfinished heelless shoe mounted on a last upon apositioning means, forcing the prongs of a heel attaching metallic plateinto clinched engagement with the insole and outsole of the heelreceiving portion of the shoe, and simultaneously with the operation ofpressing the plate into such clinched engagement, cutting the outsolealong the marginal edges of the plate to remove surplus material fromthe outsole.

10. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels, the steps whichcomprise: transversely slitting the edges of the outsole of a heellessunfinished shoe so that the slits will be disposed in registration withthe breast-line of a heel to be subsequently applied to the shoe,forcing the prongs of a heel attaching metallic plate into clinchingengagement with the insole and outsole of a heel receiving portion ofthe shoe, and simultaneously with the operation of pressing the plateinto such clinched engagement, cutting the outsole along the marginaledges of the plate and merging such cutting action with said slits toremove surplus material from the outsole.

11. The method of preparing unfinished shoes for receiving heels, thesteps which comprise removing a substantially U-shaped blank of surplusmaterial from the heel receiving region of ashoe outsole, andsimultaneously with the removal of the blank securing to the shoe overthe remaining portion of the heel receiving area of the outsole ametallic heel attaching plate.

12. A machine for operating upon shoes comprising a frame, an anvilblock secured to said frame for supporting an inverted heelless shoe, acutter support provided above said anvil block, means for moving saidcutter support downward to hold the shoe in engagement with said anvil,cutters movably mounted on said cutter support, and means for impartingmovement to said outters to form transverse slits in the outsole of theshoe adjacent the heel receiving region.

13. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels, the steps whichcomprise clamping an inverted heelless shoe on a support, transverselyslitting the outsole of the shoe from the edge toward the centeradjacent the heel receiving region, and simultaneously forcing theprongs of a metallic heel attaching plate into clinching engagement withthe insole and outsole of the shoe and severing the outsole along themarginal edges of the plate.

HIRAM GORDON. ALBERT C. ROGGE.

